Soldier Past, Soldier Present
by Exploded Pen
Summary: He shouldn't have put his hands where they didn't belong, 'cause now both he and Trip are in a whole lotta trouble! COMPLETED
1. What d'ya mean it's stuck?

~*~Disclaimer=me own sod all!~*~ OK I haven't finished true colours yet but I'll just writing them both at the same time 'cause this idea won't leave me alone! Oh and just to let you know, during the time period of this story British military pronounced Lieutenant Leftenant. Also this story was not meant to offend anyone please don't take anything personally!~*~  
  
Malcolm stared at the stone tablet with interest, Hoshi was at his feet trying to translate the inscription upon it. Trip was doing....something but he couldn't work out what it was. It involved kicking a computer console in the building they'd found. Malcolm very much doubted that kicking a computer that was nearly 20 years old would work but he left him to it.  
  
He noticed an indent at the top of the tablet. He rubbed the gathering dust away, it was circular in shape and seemed to glow slightly at his touch. Intrigued he prodded it again, nothing. He laid his whole hand flat on it, this time it definitely glowed beneath his fingers. Malcolm tried to pull his hand away-it seemed to be stuck fast. He tugged at it and tried throwing his body weight in the opposite direction, this accomplished nothing except making his arm throb painfully.  
  
"Mal, what're ya doin'?" Trip asked grinning.  
  
"My hand's stuck" Malcolm replied through gritted teeth.  
  
"What d'ya mean it's stuck?" Trip asked  
  
"I mean my hand will not come away from this stone tablet" Malcolm replied furiously tugging on it again.  
  
The stone tablet was beginning to glow brighter under his fingers. Trip tried to pull him away.  
  
Hoshi pulled back on Malcolm's shoulders while Trip tried to prise Malcolm's fingers off the tablet.  
  
By this point the light became blinding, there was a loud bang as Trip and Malcolm were flung against the wall opposite landing in a heap on the floor.  
  
Hoshi was by their side in seconds shaking her head to try and get rid of the light spots dancing in front of her eyes.  
  
"Trip? Malcolm? Wake up" She said worriedly checking their pulses. "C'mon guys, wake up!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Malcolm forced his eyes open and found himself staring down the barrel of a rifle.  
  
"So you're awake" someone else drawled. "Beginning to think you'd snuffed it"  
  
"What? Where?" was all Malcolm managed in return, his voice sounded alien to him.  
  
"You got captured mate-they're taking us back with 'em. Poor sod-you ain't lookin' too good." He replied calmly.  
  
Malcolm just groaned.  
  
He wondered why everything hurt, why his voice didn't sound like normal, why his head hurt so much he could barely see and why he had a rifle pointed at his head. He stared down at his hands, noting with some surprise that crimson blood was evident on his palms.  
  
"Whats your name fly-boy?" he asked.  
  
*Fly-Boy?* Malcolm wondered.  
  
"Flight Leftenant Andrew Redding" he replied automatically.  
  
*Who on earth? Did I just say that?* He thought blearily.  
  
"Major Hadden" said the man.  
  
Malcolm felt more than a little confused. His eyes closed and his mind fell into unconsciousness.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Trip groaned. His gut hurt and his head hurt.  
  
"Shush now you're ok" said a female voice.  
  
Instantly his eyes snapped open.  
  
"What?" He asked weakly "What happened?"  
  
"One of the enemy shot you while you were trying to capture him" said the woman gently.  
  
"Sh. Shot me?" Trip asked feeling confused.  
  
"One of the British, don't worry the others got him." Said the woman. "You'll be alright soon."  
  
Trip took in his surroundings, he was in a dingy white building, there were other men laying in beds around him.  
  
*Its some kinda hospital* he thought tiredly. *How the hell did I get here?*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~  
  
"They both appear to be in a coma, I'm afraid whatever did this to them did an excellent job" said Doctor Phlox sadly. "However they both keep changing their facial expressions, which could be a good sign"  
  
"Keep working on a cure" said Archer staring at his two officers  
  
They both looked slightly surreal laying as stiff as a board on the bio beds. Trip looked confused, Malcolm looked slightly. Afraid? Archer had never really seen pronounced fear on the younger mans face, he usually kept it hidden away. It chilled him to the core thinking of what could be in their dreams.  
  
Hoshi stared at the translation she was working on, she felt absolutely certain that this somehow held the key-if only she could crack it! Everytime she tried however the image of Malcolm and Trip laid in an unconscious heap on the stone floor popped into her head shattering her concentration.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What's he doing in 'ere? 'E should be with the medics surely!" a faraway voice exclaimed.  
  
"I ain't got a clue Alfie, but the word offa Jim is he got a guard-shot him in the gut." Said another "Wasn't looking too good either-right pale."  
  
"I think 'e's wakin' up!"  
  
~*~Reviews very welcome! I know this might seem a little confusing at first but all will become clear soon!!!!!~*~ 


	2. Scruffy blonde hair

~*~Disclaimer=Me own nowt! D'ya hear me?! Nowt!~*~ Whoa! You lot seemed to really like this lil idea of mine! Much appreciate all the reviews! Hope you like this chapter just as much!~*~  
  
Malcolm opened his eyes a fraction. He would've preferred to have stayed quiet and listened to the conversation going on near him but something else made him open his eyes.  
  
"Hiya mate, welcome to Stalag 39" said one of the men smiling slightly.  
  
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Trip became aware someone was sponging his forehead. He opened his eyes a fraction, it was that woman again only this time there was also a man in a white lab coat examining a chart.  
  
"When can I get out of here?" he asked suddenly.  
  
*Huh? Did Ah just say that?*he thought*that was weird, felt like someone else was talkin' for me*  
  
"When I say you can," said the man "You'll be released back to guard duty in about a week."  
  
Trip closed his eyes again, memories began to surface one after the other- except they weren't his.  
  
~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Malcolm pushed himself upright.  
  
"Stalag 39?" he asked  
  
"P.O.W camp" the man replied. "Congratulations, you were caught by the enemy fly-boy."  
  
"Go easy on 'im Drew! He's only been 'ere five minutes!" the other man exclaimed.  
  
"You gotta sink or summats round here?" Malcolm asked.  
  
*How come when I want to talk I can't say a word and then I say other stuff I never even thought of?*He wondered confused*It's like I'm watching a play through another blokes eyes*  
  
"Yeah, follow me" said Drew.  
  
The other one who Malcolm assumed was Alfie held out his hand. Malcolm took it and was pulled to his feet.  
  
"Don't stretch yerself, you look like hell" said Drew catching him as he stumbled. "An' I'm bettin' you ain't a favourite with the guards right now"  
  
"Oh yeah" Malcolm muttered. "The git jumped me! Just managed to squeeze the trigger before the rest of the goons got me"  
  
*What in God's name am I talking about? Goons? Guard? What have I done?*he thought wildly.  
  
Drew helped him out the room. He blinked in the brilliant sunshine and realised that the other men dotted around the yard area were staring at him. Embarrassed he looked away and limped after Drew towards an area in the shade, tin sinks were resting on a wooden table with a mirror propped up against a wooden post in the centre.  
  
Malcolm stood in front of the sink and the mirror seemingly unwilling to look up. When he finally summoned the courage to face the mirror he nearly collapsed and had to clutch the wooden table for support.  
  
Staring back at him, beneath the heavy bruising and cuts was a man with scruffy blonde hair and deep brown eyes.  
  
*Oh bugger* Malcolm thought. *I'm in big trouble*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~  
  
Hoshi faced the translation, head pounding and just about reaching the end of her tether-she was almost at the stage that when interrupted it was like poking an angry bear with a stick.  
  
"C'mon! Why won't you translate?!" she muttered darkly throwing the pad murderous glances.  
  
"Have you made any progress with the translation Ensign?" T'Pol asked sitting down primly.  
  
*Does it look like I would be sat here tearing my hair out if I'd done it?* she thought annoyed *You don't half ask some stupid questions for a Vulcan!*  
  
"Not yet" Hoshi replied. "It's proving more difficult than I first imagined"  
  
"I am sure you will succeed soon" T'Pol stated.  
  
Hoshi stared at it again, racking her brain for ideas. She tore her eyes away from it and stared at her plate. Then it came to her. It was so simple! She couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it earlier. She immediately began beavering away at it a smile on her face.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~  
  
Trip stared at the ceiling, he'd already counted the chips of paint twice, played a mental game of i-spy with himself and picked the fuzz off the blanket-boredom had set in and then grown roots.  
  
He stared at his hand with the tube coming out of it, it felt weird, out- dated somehow and he doubted that it would work. Still no complaints.  
  
He also couldn't speak his mind-only think for himself, the rest of the time it was like being controlled by someone else like a puppet in a show.  
  
He worked out he was in a war-zone, on Earth at some point or other, one of the wars judging from the conversations going on around him. He was at a P.O.W camp but he wasn't one of the prisoners, he was one of the guards.  
  
He tried to sift through the other memories locked in his mind but had little success, everything seemed foggy in his mind and ploughing through it took a long time.  
  
*Wonder if Ah'll ever see Enterprise again* He thought resuming the fuzz- picking again. *They betta look after mah engines!*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hoshi stared at the translation.  
  
*I can tell a poet didn't write this* she thought wryly. *Or someone who had any way with words at all, no wonder it took so long to translate!*  
  
She stopped at sickbay doors, she knew Archer would be there by Trips side asking for an update on their condition but she didn't want to see their silent bodies, stiff as boards staring at the ceiling.  
  
She was just about to go in when Archer came out.  
  
"Captain, I've completed the translation" she announced "I think you ought to see it."  
  
She held out the pad.  
  
Archer took it and read it through slowly, his face a picture of disbelief.  
  
"Oh you've got to be kidding me" he said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Malcolm splashed the ice cold water against his face and then raised his gaze back to the mirror. His (?) hair was still sticking up in all directions. He pressed his hand against it and tried to flatten it but the second he removed his hand it sprang back up again.  
  
He sighed and turned away from the sinks.  
  
It was going to be a very, very long bloody day.  
  
The guards at the gate stared at him, guns shining menacingly in the sunlight.  
  
*I guess they don't like me* he thought sarcastically.  
  
For the first time he properly looked at his clothes, he was wearing navy blue trousers and a light blue shirt complete with a nice brown bloodstain down the front.  
  
*Ah, no wonder they called me fly-boy* he thought *If I remember rightly this is a Royal Air Force uniform, so that makes me....a pilot or something. Oh joy. Well, it could've been worse-I could've ended up in the Navy!*  
  
~*~End of chapter heh heh heh, more will come if people review!~*~ 


	3. Soldiers of the past

~*~Disclaimer=me no own~*~ This chapter might get a little kookie, I admit I'm weird-but I don't care! I'm unique heh heh heh! Totally loving all the reviews I'm getting!~*~  
  
Malcolm watched the rain bounce off the windowsill, he could hear the air raid going on far away, hear the high pitched whistle then the kaboom! As the bomb fell.  
  
Everybody was quiet, Drew was at the door checking for guards.  
  
"All clear" he said coming back in.  
  
The room was cleared in seconds. Malcolm helped them move the beds to clear a space in the centre, fold up tables were set out and boxes were brought forward for seats.  
  
Malcolm knew what would happen next, they would talk about anything and everything. He wouldn't be able to chip in his two cents but the person whose body he was in would. It was incredibly frustrating to say the least, he'd been stuck here for a week now and chance of Enterprise finding him were slim. The idea of never being able to move for himself or speak his mind didn't appeal in the slightest.  
  
He completely tuned out the conversation, not bothering to listen because Andrew Redding would speak for him anyway.  
  
Maybe an hour later someone said something and the others started laughing, then they all fell quiet.  
  
"Hitler, he's only got one ball" someone sang quietly.  
  
"The other's in the Albert hall" the others, including Malcolm joined in grinning.  
  
"His mother, the dirty bugger!  
  
Cut it off, when he was small!  
  
HITLER! HE'S ONLY GOT ONE BALL!  
  
THE OTHER'S IN THE ALBERT HALL!  
  
HIS MOTHER, THE DIRTY BUGGER!  
  
CUT IT OFF, WHEN HE WAS SMALL!"  
  
The room was alive with the sound of out of tune singing. Inwardly Malcolm laughed.  
  
*I suppose hope is all they have left*he mused listening to them sing.  
  
Over the past seven days, he'd gotten to know each one, some had been a P.O.W for months, others only a few days. They were all hell bent on escaping, it plagued their thoughts and hope spread like wildfire amongst them every time someone got out.  
  
For his part Malcolm or rather Andy stayed in the background, didn't reveal much about himself or do anything to draw attention to himself. Malcolm was beginning to like Andy, although he felt sorry for him being the only RAF man in the camp. Singled out from the start.  
  
Malcolm hated the spontaneous ness of his situation, not being able to control a single thing and never knowing what he would do next.  
  
In a brief moment that first night sat around the table with the lads he wondered if anyone would miss him-at all, even a tiny bit. But he dismissed the thought immediately.  
  
During the nights he would curl up in his bunk and listen to the sounds of the others breathing and whispering quietly in their sleep. Now he knew where he was, he was afraid he wouldn't survive long enough to be saved-if they were trying to save him at all.  
  
He was in the middle of the second world war-1940 to be exact, seeing the old weapons in books and reading through countless history books couldn't compare to what he was witnessing. History in the making.  
  
The others were digging a tunnel beneath the camp. A dangerous escape choice, Malcolm privately thought, but they'd started it months and months before he got their and were 2 feet away from the camp outskirts.  
  
Some of the lads were making travel passes in anticipation for their imminent escape. Jim was giving them instructions on a daily basis of what not to do:  
  
Don't fall asleep in a public place in case you talk English in your sleep  
  
Avoid talking to others, concentrate on your goal.  
  
Remember-don't wear you cap on Sundays.  
  
The goons'll change the pass colours 48 hours after you escape, it won't be valid after that time and you'll be n your own.  
  
Make for free France, once you're there make your way to allied headquarters.  
  
And so on, and so on.  
  
Drew had been stealing the clothes from the guards laundry bags just before the truck left, there was now a complete outfit for each man.  
  
All that was left now was for the tunnel to be completed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hoshi re-read the translation, it'd been just over six hours since the accident and she couldn't help feeling that something was missing.  
  
'To the soldiers of the present,  
  
Remember the soldiers of the past, books can't describe what they went through and how they survived, but I can show you.  
  
Place your hand on the circle and watch your history played before your eyes.  
  
The soldiers of the past will be remembered.' She read. Then all that followed was a list of names and the very bottom she read 'Flight Lieutenant Andrew Malcolm Redding'  
  
In about half an hour she was returning to the planet, for a second look at the stone tablet. First, she was going to pay a visit to Trip and Malcolm in sickbay.  
  
When sickbay doors opened, Hoshi nearly turned back but she forced herself to go in.  
  
"How are they Doctor?" she asked quietly not quite bringing herself to look at them directly.  
  
"Not very well I'm afraid." Doctor Phlox replied gravely "Their vital signs are growing weaker by the hour. If I cannot find a way to sever the link with that stone tablet, they will die."  
  
His words were left hanging in the air. Hoshi stared past him to the still figures on the biobed now complete with breathing apparatus.  
  
*I know I'm missing something! But what?*she thought desperately. *It's right under my nose, if only I could think of what it is.*  
  
~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~  
  
Trip took a deep breath of fresh air. He'd been released from the infirmary with a clean bill of health and had been immediately put back on duty. In his crisp starched grey uniform he felt strange. He watched the men within the camp from the gun tower. One especially, scruffy blonde haired man in a dirty blue uniform always caught his attention. In an odd way he reminded him of Malcolm. But whoever he was he knew he didn't like the man one bit, neither did the other guards always picking on him for the slightest thing and giving Trip sympathetic looks.  
  
He knew that must've been the man who shot him but in an odd way he pitied the man. The odd one out from everyone.  
  
He always wondered why one of the barracks always had men coming and going giving the guards shifty looks as they came out. That particular barracks had been searched on many an occasion but they had found nothing. Trip honestly didn't expect them too.  
  
He knew he was in the body of a Nazi, and it galled him to know that he was in the body of America's enemy during the war. He felt like he was betraying his heritage and betraying his ancestors.  
  
However he began to realise that the other Nazi soldiers were just doing their job, defending their country like the British and the Americans had been defending theirs. It was so much easier to lay the blame on the opposing side until you actually became the opposing side. Conflicted emotions were running through his mind. Frustration and anger being at the top of his list, he felt helpless not being able to control his movements or voice and Trip Tucker did not like feeling helpless.  
  
~*~A short chapter but it explains a few things (hopefully) Read and review or no more chapters will be forth coming!~*~ 


	4. Nobody understands

~*~Disclaimer=me no own~*~Wow! You guys seem to really like this story! You are all brilliant for reviewing!~*~  
  
Malcolm entered the barracks, the tunnel entrance was laying open on the wooden floorboard, but their were no sounds of digging.  
  
"John!" he called "John! Can you hear me?" He jumped in and began scrabbling about in the dirt, his hand closed round something warm. He pulled and a man came lose from the dirt.  
  
Hands helped them both out.  
  
John coughed dirt from his lungs and winced rubbing his shoulder.  
  
"Gerroff me I'm alright" he said shoving them away.  
  
"Tunnels completely caved." Larry said climbing out of the hole. "Its useless."  
  
"No!" John exclaimed. "It can't have! Not after all this time!" He made as if to climb back into the tunnel.  
  
Malcolm caught his shoulders.  
  
"John, it's over" he said. "C'mon lets get ya down t' medics."  
  
"I said get off me Andy." John hissed. His eyes full of rage and self-hate. He stalked out the room slamming the door.  
  
The others began to disperse and soon only Larry and Malcolm were left. They closed up the entrance and pushed the bunk back over it.  
  
"I can't believe it" said Larry hoarsely. "It's over, six months it's taken to build that tunnel....we were so close! So BLOODY CLOSE!"  
  
"There'll be other attempts Larry." Said Malcolm comfortingly.  
  
"You don't understand! You have no idea! You've only been here a week! How could you possible understand what that tunnel meant?!" Larry raged and viciously booted one of the bunks. "Piss off Fly-Boy! I ain't in the mood for you!"  
  
*C'mon Andy, just back off* he thought in a futile attempt to try and sway the man who he occupied. Andy however was not in the mood to take anything lying down.  
  
"How can you say I don't understand?" Malcolm yelled. "I've not seen my family for two years! Two stinking years I've been up there day after day dropping bombs on the poor sods below! All they did wrong was live in the wrong place! I got ordered to bomb the towns, they held innocent civilians! Women, children. You have no idea what I've been through! I had no escape because I volunteered for it! I volunteered for this crap! Stuck in a moral hell for two years! Do you have any idea what that's like? No! So think before you start shoving your bullshit on me!"  
  
There was stunned silence.  
  
*Bloody hell!* Malcolm thought amazed. *Was that even related to the argument?*  
  
" Andy...I had.....I mean...." Larry trailed off looking guilty. Malcolm could still see the frustration building up in Larry's eyes mixed in with guilt.  
  
"Forget it." Malcolm muttered before marching out.  
  
He leant against the barracks wall and stared at the ground. After a while he became aware someone was watching him. He looked up and saw the guard in the guard tower glaring at him, sub-consciously stroking the machine gun.  
  
Malcolm stared him out.  
  
"Andy?"  
  
"Not now Alfie."  
  
"You sure."  
  
"Very"  
  
"I'd move if I were you"  
  
"Oh really?"  
  
"Well that goon's lookin' pretty 'omicidal. Afterall ya did shoot 'im"  
  
"He won't shoot me"  
  
"'ow do ya know?"  
  
"I don't"  
  
"Andy?"  
  
"What is it Alfie?"  
  
"'as the tunnel really caved in?"  
  
"Yup, the shit hit the fan about ten minutes ago."  
  
Alfie sank to the ground beside him.  
  
"So that's it then. We're stuck 'ere."  
  
"Oy you, being a miserable git's my job. Like I said to Larry, there will be other escape attempts. It ain't the end of the world."  
  
"Winter's comin' soon, we won't be able to start another tunnel 'cause ground's gonna go rock 'ard."  
  
"Don't worry Alfie, can ya leave me be please?"  
  
"Sure, thanks Andy."  
  
Alfie wandered off. Malcolm stared at the blue sky above.  
  
*Where are you Enterprise?* he thought miserably.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Trip stared at he scruffy blonde man intently, sub-consciously stroking his machine gun. He seemed annoyed. No. More than annoyed. From what Trip could see from up in the tower it seemed like guilty anger was radiating from him.  
  
Trip realised his finger was flexing on the trigger. When he tried to move it he remembered that he wasn't in control of anything.  
  
*C'mon move ya limey bastard move!* he willed feeling his finger tense up. *MOVE!*  
  
Then just as he began to pull back the trigger the scruffy blonde moved and wandered away.  
  
Trip watched as he went round the corner then stopped. One of the other prisoners was viciously hitting the punch bag.  
  
The scruffy blonde ran off, like the hounds of hell were at his heels.  
  
Then Trip resigned himself to the monotony of the day.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hoshi kicked the computer terminal and to her amazement it lit up like Christmas Tree lights.  
  
Having programmed the language into the UT it was all systems go from this point on.  
  
In her search she found a personal log.  
  
*Bingo* she thought satisfied with her work.  
  
The translation then was simple.  
  
The contents of the translation were disturbing.  
  
It appeared that the stone tablet had been faulty. The scientist that created it watched his partner die due to its affects. It drained the life from people who tried to use it. They would witness their history-at the cost of their life.  
  
The vision of their history could end at any time, but if it went on longer than 24 hours the people would just fade away into nothingness and cease to exist.  
  
Malcolm and Trip had been unconscious for eight hours. In 16 hours time they'd both be dead and there was nothing anyone could do about it.  
  
Hoshi's heart sank as she re-read the entire thing.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~  
  
Trip stared at the horizon away from the camp. He was tired. Tired of not being able to do anything or speak his mind. Tired of having to guard over prisoners that his ancestors might've been fighting with.  
  
*Ah'd give anything ta be watchin' water polo with Jon now* He thought miserably *Or eatin' a huge slice o' pecan pie. Even workin' on mah engines for a twenty hour shift might be better than this.*  
  
He thought about the person who he was 'occupying' and came to the slow realisation that he was only doing his job-just like every other poor sod in this world.  
  
~*~Ok, I've suddenly realised that I don't have much about Trip in these chapters, I think that's because I've put him in the body of a Nazi and the realisations just hit that I know very little german that could be useful at this point. (I blame my German teacher, over an hour of listening to her talk to a plastic skeleton called Boris scarred me for life. I know enough German to introduce myself and give opinions oh and school subjects as if I'm going to walk up to some random German and ask them what school subjects they like. We were also taught the body parts and how to say "ow my leg hurts"-Fantastic-ah the insanity of our language block at school-no wonder I took French) Anyway, I have a habit of going off on random tangents What I want to say is please read and review!~*~ 


	5. Our time is running out

~*~Disclaimer=me no own!~*~I now how this is gonna end, but d'ya want a really sad ending or a 'dude, I learnt something today' ending or a just generally happy ending? Hmm. ~*~  
  
Trip stared at the ceiling; his bed was as hard as nails. His roommate was due to come off duty any minute now, nice enough guy. Very quiet, never said a lot, but then again it wasn't like Trip could talk to him.  
  
*At least, Ah can understand what they're sayin' it don't sound like German ta me, more like English with a dodgy accent.*  
  
The door opened and Trip looked up.  
  
His roommate threw himself down on the other bed and sighed.  
  
"Something wrong?" Trip asked.  
  
"I'm tired off this"  
  
"Of what?"  
  
"Of this! Guarding those Tommie bastards day in day out."  
  
"It's better than the front."  
  
"Yeah well, at least at the front I'd be doing something useful!"  
  
"I'd rather be here than the front."  
  
"Then you're just a coward aren't you?"  
  
*Someone's feelin' talkative today!*  
  
"I'm not a coward."  
  
"I am."  
  
"And you came to this conclusion when?"  
  
There was a long pause. Trip had just resumed counting the holes in the ceiling when his roommate piped up:  
  
"What did you do before you got enlisted Max?"  
  
"Me?"  
  
*No the invisible person in this room.......O' course it's you!*  
  
"I was a mechanic; my brother got enlisted before me and was sent to the front. He died so I had to keep working round the clock to get everything done."  
  
"In every war there are casualties Max."  
  
*Ya unfeeling sonofabitch!*  
  
"What do you reckon is worse, war or hell?"  
  
"What makes you say that?"  
  
"Just answer me. Which is worse, war or hell?"  
  
"Hell of course-why what do you think?"  
  
"Well, only people who've been really bad go to hell don't they?"  
  
"Yeah, I suppose."  
  
"No body whose innocent goes to hell do they?"  
  
"Get to the point Max."  
  
"Well, if you think about it there are innocent people dying left right and centre in war but in hell only really bad people suffer. So I think War is worse."  
  
"I guess....I wouldn't let the Kommandante hear you talking like that though."  
  
"I won't, I'm not stupid."  
  
*Well.....that was an unusual conversation.*  
  
"Max, what happened with you and the blonde prisoner? Why didn't you shoot him before he shot you?"  
  
"I'll tell you some other time. Go to sleep."  
  
"You bottled out didn't you? You couldn't do it could you? You were right. You shouldn't be at the front, you'd put to many lives in jeopardy."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
The room fell quiet.  
  
*Wow, ya can almost feel the love in this room.* Trip thought sarcastically.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"ANDY YOU'RE A BLOODY GENIUS!" John yelled happily.  
  
"It was nothing," Malcolm muttered blushing crimson.  
  
*Quit being so modest Andy. Of course you could take this opportunity to make them feel guilty, y'know for taking the mickey 24/7. Then again, maybe not.*  
  
"EVERYBODY CHIP IN TO HELP WITH THE CONSTRUCTION!" Colonel Attercombe yelled. "EVERYMAN DOES HIS FAIR SHARE!"  
  
"THREE CHEERS FOR ANDY!" Alfie shouted.  
  
"Hip, hip!"  
  
"HORRAY!"  
  
"Hip, hip!"  
  
"HORRAY!"  
  
"Hip, hip!"  
  
"HORRAY!"  
  
Malcolm went even redder.  
  
"It was nothing, anyone could've thought of it." He muttered modestly.  
  
As the others filed out, Colonel Attercombe held Malcolm back.  
  
"Andy, the goons have agreed. They want one of ours to fight one of theirs. We've got two weeks to prepare for this." He said seriously. "We can only take a maximum of twelve, any more and it'll be too noticeable. You are definitely getting out, the other eleven we'll pick in a draw. It's not as many as the original tunnel would've gotten out but it's still more than any other camp has ever gotten out. It's all down to you. You've given the men fresh hope Andy-good work."  
  
"Thank you sir." said Malcolm.  
  
"I know you've had a pretty rough time of it round here." The Colonel continued "But when you go, take this to intelligence HQ"  
  
He held out a small box. Malcolm took it.  
  
"What is it sir?" he asked.  
  
"Two months before you arrived, we got a spy in our midst. Before he was uncovered he gave me this to give to HQ if anybody ever got out. That was right before they put him before a firing squad." Attercombe replied. "The information within that box is crucial to the war effort. It is imperative they get it."  
  
"Understood sir." said Malcolm staring at the box with interest. "I'll do my best."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hoshi stared at her friends motionless forms. Doctor Phlox had gone to lunch after Hoshi promised to notify him if anything happened.  
  
Now she almost wished she hadn't, the silence was unbearable, unnatural.  
  
"Hey guys, you should wake up now. Get out of history and into the present." She tried. "Malcolm, I know you must be in seventh heaven right now surrounded by all those guns making all those tactical decisions, but we need you to make those decisions here."  
  
She turned to Trip.  
  
"Trip would you wake up if I told you I'd set your precious engines on fire? Or spread pecan pie across engineering? Didn't think so." She sighed.  
  
"In less than 15 hours you'll both be dead. There's nothing anyone can do for you. C'mon where's your survival instinct?!" She exclaimed.  
  
The eerie quiet filled the room once more and she sobered slightly.  
  
"I need you, we all need you. Please don't die."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Two weeks later (Malcolm and Trip time) or one hour remaining (Normal time)~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Has everybody got their stuff?" Malcolm asked.  
  
The men behind him nodded and clutched their duffel bags. They looked like a cross between nervous and excited.  
  
The boxing ring had been set up. It was their man against the Germans man, with one slight twist-twelve of them would be getting out. Ducking beneath a strategically placed table, moving the outer planks of wood and then crawling into the hollow space beneath the boxing ring. From then on they just had to drop into the hole they'd dug to join up to the original tunnel and get through as fast as possible. Timing was crucial.  
  
The other men knew their place; they all had to clump together round the boxing ring so no one would notice that some of them were slowly disappearing.  
  
Trip was outside the mesh fence watching with interest, he cheered as loudly as he could when the match started.  
  
Something caught his eye. He started. Unsure of what to do he kept watching. His eyes resting on the scruffy blonde man. The man dropped down suddenly and disappeared. Trip's eyes roamed around the camp looking for the best place of exit.  
  
The forest. It had to be the forest; it was the only way that provided cover.  
  
Hands trembling as they clutched his rifle Trip moved so he could view the opening of the forest.  
  
"I'm gonna shoot first this time." He muttered.  
  
*Aww hell......*  
  
Malcolm crawled through the tunnel as fast as he could. He'd already taken the skin of his knees and elbows in his haste.  
  
*Hoshi wouldn't like this. Far too cramped.*  
  
He reached up at the end of the tunnel and threw the exit hatch open. He raised his head and peered out. Good no guards in sight. Malcolm raised his head a bit more, satisfied no one was around to see him he climbed out and raced into the forest, dragging his duffel bag behind him.  
  
"Gotcha" Trip whispered following him.  
  
~*~Please review! I have a feeling the next chapter might be the last and then I might do a little epilogue. Till next time!~*~ 


	6. Here lies Malcolm and he's bloody annoye...

~*~Disclaimer=me no own~*~ Hahaha! I love the idea of it being a corny old seventies shoot out movie style ending with extra helping of cheese! There is also a small line dedicated to TLI for pointing that out! I also love the fact that nobody pulls any punches when they're reviewing! It's great! I'm in a really good mood 'cause its mah birthday! Woohoo! 15 now! Anyway, I'm off task. What was I going to say? OH yeah, I has the slightest suspicion either this chapter or the next will be the last. *Sniffs* Heh heh heh Also you might recognise the line at the end.~*~  
  
Malcolm threw his old tattered uniform away and quickly dressed it the clothes Drew had stolen for them.  
  
The others would be following on soon, but he couldn't stop. Stopping wasted valuable time he just didn't have. He could hear the faint sounds of pounding feet behind him-he still didn't even dare to look. It could be one of the other lads-or it could be a guard.  
  
Taking no chances, he doubled back on himself and twisted and turned his route. Sweat was dripping from his brow, but he still didn't stop-he had to keep going.  
  
Trip followed on behind the scruffy blonde, he felt signs of fatigue taking over him as he ran on, cursing the man's twisting and turning route. He couldn't stop. He had a debt to settle.  
  
*This reminds me of those really old movies* Trip thought watching the forest flash past him. *Ah hated those movies!*  
  
Malcolm tripped and fell flat on his face, skidding across the muddy ground.  
  
"SHIT!" he swore dragging himself back to his feet.  
  
His pace was slowing; tiredness was taking over his motor functions. He longed to be able to stop, but mentally forced himself to keep going.  
  
He fell again this time however not possessing the energy to get back to his feet. He was out of the forest now and into a field.  
  
*C'mon!* Malcolm urged mentally *C'mon Andy! You're so close!*  
  
Something happened. To Malcolm it seemed blue light was flashing across the field. It felt like he was being ripped apart.  
  
Then nothing.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~15 minutes and counting ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hoshi couldn't watch anymore, but she couldn't leave either.  
  
Close friends of Malcolm and Trip were now requesting to come visit-to say their goodbyes.  
  
It was a morbid situation.  
  
*You're giving up too soon!* she wanted to scream *There's still time! Don't lose hope yet!*  
  
Archer hadn't left sickbay since he appeared half an hour ago. Hoshi watched him carefully. The most immediate emotion was guilt.  
  
*I suppose he feels responsible, 'cause he sent us down to that planet.* Hoshi mused. *Mind you he couldn't have known that Malcolm would start sticking his hands where they didn't belong! The stupid, stupid, stupid fool! Why? Why couldn't he just leave well alone? Just stood and watched over everything? They tell me he's intelligent for god's sake!*  
  
Angry thoughts flowed through her mind, however soon after guilt set in for thinking such things.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~  
  
Malcolm heard slow footsteps coming from the forest.  
  
He heard a rifle being cocked.  
  
"Up"  
  
He slowly got to his feet and turned.  
  
The guard Andy had shot was in front of him. Only something was weird about him. He kept fuzzing in and out of focus being replaced by someone who looked oddly like Trip.  
  
Trip watched in horror as the scruffy blonde kept changing into Malcolm and then back again.  
  
*Bugger* Malcolm thought. *If Trip's situation is like mine-I'm royally screwed!*  
  
Malcolm held out his arms, backing away inch by inch very slowly.  
  
"I owe you a bullet" Trip heard himself say.  
  
All Malcolm heard was German-whatever the guard/Trip said it couldn't have been good.  
  
His finger trembled on the trigger. He took a deep breath and fired.  
  
Andy screamed in pain as the bullet pierced his side.  
  
Malcolm had a peculiar feeling pass over him, pain mixed with relief?  
  
"MALCOLM!" Trip yelled.  
  
Andy hit the floor, the guard turned and walked back into the forest.  
  
Trip was at Malcolm's side in seconds.  
  
"It's not possible," Malcolm whispered moving his hand from his side and watching the blood drip from his fingers. "It can't be possible, I'm not here-not really, it can't be possible."  
  
"Malcolm, where'd it hit ya?" Trip asked anxiously.  
  
"Trip," Malcolm muttered sinking to his knees.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I want my gravestone to read: 'Here lies Malcolm Reed and he's bloody annoyed!" Malcolm joked weakly.  
  
"That's not funny, ya ain't gonna die!" Trip insisted.  
  
Malcolm saw Andy crawl through the hedge. Then a look of confusion came over his face as his vision darkened.  
  
"Bugger."  
  
Black swallowed him whole.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hoshi finally admitted defeat and went to say her final goodbyes.  
  
She felt so guilty looking at their faces; Malcolm looked like he was in a lot of pain whereas Trip looked a mixture of worry and guilt.  
  
Then she heard it. A faint voice whisper:  
  
"Bugger."  
  
"Doctor!" Hoshi called racing to Malcolm's side. "I think he's waking up! Quick!"  
  
"Hoshi?" said a voice from behind her.  
  
Trip's eyes were open and he stared at her blearily.  
  
"How did Ah get here? Where's Malcolm? Is he alright? He got shot, he's bleedin'" Trip burbled worriedly.  
  
Hoshi hugged him tightly. Leaving Trip with a bemused look.  
  
"Ah'm happy ta see ya too Hoshi, but what's goin' on?" He asked yawning.  
  
She moved so she could see both Trip and Malcolm and waited anxiously while Phlox checked them both over.  
  
Malcolm's eyes snapped open.  
  
"BLOODY HELL!" he yelled nearly falling off the biobed. "O Jesus, that hurts!  
  
"Where does it hurt?" Doctor Phlox asked immediately running scans over them.  
  
"My side, I got shot-what's going on?" Malcolm asked.  
  
Doctor Phlox moved aside Malcolm's uniform to take a closer look at his side.  
  
"That's odd," He murmured.  
  
"What?" Trip asked watching.  
  
Doctor Phlox showed them the large ugly bruise on his side.  
  
"It's just a bruise, but it definitely wasn't there when Mr Reed was brought in." He said.  
  
After nearly two hours of people coming into to see them, Doctor Phlox finally managed to shoo everybody out of sickbay and tried in vain to get Trip and Malcolm to rest.  
  
"Hey, you shot me!" Malcolm exclaimed after a moment's silence.  
  
"Ah didn't shoot ya! Max did! Anyway you shot me first!" Trip said defensively feeling guilty.  
  
"Who's Max when he's at home?" Malcolm demanded. "I didn't shoot you Andy did!"  
  
"The guy who shot ya!" Trip stated "Who's Andy?"  
  
"Don't try and deny it Trip-you shot me."  
  
It took a moment for Trip to realise Malcolm was just winding him up.  
  
"Ya big baby! Anybody would've thought I'd killed ya the way you're going on!" Trip joked. "All ya got was a lil bruise!"  
  
"Little?!?!?!?!?!" asked Malcolm in disbelief. "It's bloody huge!"  
  
~*~Ok, I've definitely decided to add on an epilogue just too nicely round it off. I want you too review and I want to know if you have any outstanding questions that can be sold..... (Sold? I mean solved!) Solved next chapter! Eep, PE has frozen my brain! Just to bore you to tears I can tell you I was playing hockey this afternoon-it was raining, windy annnndd! Foggy! Plus our schools girls PE kit is a delightful bottle green pleated skirt with a yellow polo shirt, green football socks (with a gorgeous designer amber trim at the top! Can't forget that!) Bottle green nylon knickershorts that could double for parachutes and to top it all off a bright green sweatshirt that is as much use as a chocolate fireguard! Right ok *Ignores everybody's stares* I blame it on the gnomes! (Hint: read A Simple Cold)~*~ 


	7. Penny for your thoughts

~*~Disclaimer=As usual I own none of this! ~*~Just to explain in the last chapter before this The bond between Trip and the guard (Max) and Malcolm and Andy grows weaker which is why the fuzz in and out. It's only when Max fires the rifle that they split off, which is why Malcolm got shot too because at that point he and Andy were almost the same person ok? This is the final chapter (boohoo!) Quite enjoyed writing this story! Although at the beginning the original idea was that Malcolm and Trip would have control over their bodies but then I realised that if they were going back in time to witness the 'soldiers of the past' as it were then they wouldn't be in control because they'd try and do stuff that wouldn't happen!~*~  
  
Malcolm stared at the ceiling. It felt weird being able to move and talk for himself again. When he went to the bathroom he had nearly forgotten what his reflection looked like and got the shock of his life when he looked in the mirror.  
  
Of course he was itching to get out. Things to do, people to see, armouries to inspect!  
  
Another problem was to him and Trip they'd been gone for over three weeks, but on Enterprise they'd been unconscious for only 23 hours and 55 minutes.  
  
The only thing that had come through the incident was their memories and the ugly bruise on Malcolm's side.  
  
Phlox had insisted on holding them for the night, naturally both he and Trip had argued the toss even though they knew there was no chance Phlox would let them out no matter how much they complained.  
  
He wondered if Andy had survived, if he'd made it back to Britain and handed that mysterious box to the British intelligence. He wondered what had happened to the other lads-whether they'd escaped another time or had been killed. It made his head hurt just thinking of all the questions he longed to find the answers to.  
  
Trip watched Malcolm sigh then close his eyes and roll over.  
  
Trip was confused. He wanted to know what happened to Max.  
  
"Why didn't we die?" Malcolm asked suddenly  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why didn't we die?"  
  
"When?"  
  
"When the time period ended why didn't we die?"  
  
"Ah dunno, lemme think a minute."  
  
"We should've died, we were connected to that time period, we were part of Andy and the guard...."  
  
"Max."  
  
"Yeah him."  
  
"Maybe that's how the machine works. It only takes ya back so ya can see the series of events n then wakes ya up so ya can tell people."  
  
"We should've died."  
  
"Quit being so morbid."  
  
"D'ya reckon he survived?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Andy."  
  
"Probably, what d'ya think happened to Max?"  
  
"I don't know, I hope he pays though."  
  
"For what? He could've killed ya! Instead he just winged ya and then let ya go!"  
  
"Maybe he wanted Andy to die a slow painful death."  
  
"Look, he ain't like that. He was just doin' his job, same as all the others."  
  
"He was the enemy."  
  
"He was just doin' his job. He's only human."  
  
"He didn't have to do his job."  
  
"Ah don't think he had much choice Malcolm. Ah doubt that he'd have lived long if he'd rebelled. He ain't a killer anyway."  
  
"He shot Andy!"  
  
"An' probably missed purposely. He didn't kill him did he?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Ah can see where ya comin' from, Ah thought the same thing when Ah first got there but after spendin' three weeks watching the guy go about his business, Ah realised he was just like everyone else in the war-only fightin' for his country doin' what he thought was right."  
  
"I suppose."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Malcolm stared out the window watching the stars fly past.  
  
"Penny for 'em?"  
  
"What?" He asked turning his head slightly.  
  
"Never mind, what's eatin' ya?" Trip asked moving to stand by his friend.  
  
"Doesn't matter." Said Malcolm, returning his gaze to the stars once more.  
  
"Tell me anyway." Said Trip.  
  
"It's stupid." Malcolm protested quietly.  
  
"It can't be that stupid," Trip reasoned "If ya thoughts are dwellin' on it."  
  
"I found out what happened to Andrew." Said Malcolm in monotone.  
  
*He didn't call him Andy this time.* Trip thought.  
  
"He died." Malcolm ended.  
  
"Well Ah kinda knew he'd be dead by now." Trip tried to joke.  
  
"He made it all the way back to Britain then died of an infection." Malcolm snapped.  
  
"Well he made it, he broke free. Doesn't that count for somethin'?" Trip asked.  
  
Malcolm didn't reply  
  
They both watched the stars go past and didn't say a word they didn't have to, the silence said it all.  
  
*Goodbye*  
  
~*~Woohoo! All done! Please review! I hope this answered some questions people had. As per usual will thank all people who reviewed when I get round to it. Probably in about a week or so~*~ 


	8. Thank yous!

~*~For all my reviewers huge thank you's for sticking with this story and for putting up with my general craziness. I was gonna put this page up sooner but I got stuck up shit creek without a paddle for a while and had to put it off. However now all is well in my little world so I can finally do this. So huge thanks too the following:  
  
Jen  
  
Orion9  
  
Lowenove  
  
The Libran Iniquity=you kick ass! Seriously you always review and suggest stuff! Plus you continually reviewed!  
  
Melodie  
  
Soultoast=You rule!  
  
Sz2000  
  
Shadow dancer  
  
The Watch Stander=You also rule! You are at one with the reviewing!  
  
KaliedescopeCat =you always tell me if summats dodgy or whatever! Cool!  
  
Stormienights  
  
Pike2  
  
Enchanted Bohemian =glad I won you over in the end! Originally I was going to have them in control of the hosts but if you think about it the whole point of the machine thingy was so they could witness the past and the soldiers who died for them or summat like that so that is why they weren't in control.  
  
HoVis=our school P.E kit was made by mad old ladies with nothing better to do than produce deeply uncomfortable clothing. Not really but it's an overwrap skirt which is how you can play sports (although when the wind is blowing and a hockey puck is coming at you at 50 miles an hour it's as much use as a chocolate fireguard.  
  
Ok, Insanity over. I have another story in mind, but first! True Colours, Sometimes I stare and A simple cold must be completed, I must resist temptation. Remember people! You aint heard the last of me!~*~ 


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